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Synonyms: |
Combretum holosericeum sensu Laws. p.p. |
Common names: | Peeling-twig Combretum (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Semi-deciduous shrub or tree; bark grey and more or less fissured and flaking; young branchlets with bark distinctly peeling off, revealing a reddish-brown under bark. Leaves opposite, narrowly to broadly elliptic-oblong up to 26 × 16 cm but usually 6-10 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, pubescence variable depending on the subspecies but often more densely when young, inconspicuously covered with scales beneath and with conspicuous net-veining, especially beneath; margin entire, often rolled under; petiole stout, up to 10 mm long. Flowers in dense axillary spikes, up to c. 10 cm long but mostly 4-6 cm long, greenish-yellow to yellow, appearing just before or with the new leaves, sweetly scented; petals small, sometimes ciliate at the apex. Fruit 4-winged, as long as wide, 2-3 cm, sticky and bright red when young, drying to tan-brown. |
Notes: | Subsp. psidioides, subsp. dinteri and subsp. glabrum are known from Zimbabwe. Differences are discussed in each page. |
Derivation of specific name: | psidioides: resembling the genus Psidium, i.e the Guava, probably because of the peeling bark on the branchlets. |
Habitat: | In various types of woodland but often on Kalahari sand in drier areas of lower altitude. |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Angola, DRC, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Friday 24 February 2017 |
Literature: |
Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 810. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 263. Exell, A.W. (1978). Combretaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 133 - 135. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 336 - 337. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 394 - 395. (Includes a picture). |
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